Anti-clogging means for the intake of a fluid suction device



May 12, 1959 P. H..WIEDORN ANTI-CLOGGING MEANS FOR THE INTAKE OF A FLUID SUCTION DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1956 INVENTOR.

PHOL H W1 EDORN ,4 from/Ex up fluids and particularly to improvements in p p 2,886,181 r a ANTI-CLOGGING MEANS FOR [NTAKEOF it A FLUID SUCTIQN, DEYICE Paul H. Wiedorn, Philadelphia, Pa assignor to National a Foam System, Inc., a corporation of Delaware Application November 5, 1956, Serial b. 620,465

3 Claims. (Cl. 210-460) Thisinvention relates generally to devices for sucking ging meansfor fluid pick-up tubes.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pick-up tube with improved means for keeping the intake opening of the tube in communication with the fluid to be sucked up, even when the intake end portion of the sube is submerged in sediment, mud

or other debris underlying the fluid.

Another important object ofthe present invention is to provide such improved means that may be disassembled, cleaned and reassembled with facility.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide such improved means and at the same time maintain the ability of the pick-up tube to remove virtually all the fluid from a container.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of a parts, all as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a side view of fire extinguishing apparatus including a pick-up tube constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the anticlogging device of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a side view of the intake end of the pick-up tube, shown partly in elevation and partly sectioned.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The fire extinguishing apparatus of Figure l, including a nozzle unit designated generally by the letter A, a foam discharge tube designated generally by the letter B and a pick-up tube designated generally by the letter C, is generally similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,512,456, issued to F. L. Boyd et al. on June 20, 1950, to which reference may be had for details of construction and operation.

The pick-up tube C is equipped with an anti-clogging device, designated generally by the numeral 10, that is constructed in accordance with and which embodies the principles of the present invention. The latter includes a member thathas a tubular body 11 which is circular in transverse section and of uniform internal diameter. This tubular body 11 terminates in an end wall 12, and the end wall and the portion of the tubular body adjacent the end wall are of uniform reduced external diameter, whereby to form a circumferentially extending shoulder 13 intermediate the opposite extremities of the device 10. The reduced diameter portion of the tubular body is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 14 that extend axially from the end wall 12 to the shoulder 13, whereby to form a set of four parallel axially extending elements 15. The end wall 12 is circumferentially externally grooved, as at 16, and the porsoldering.

2,886,181 Patented ayra, .1959

non of the tubular body 11 rants. from the end wall "12 is tapered axially, as at 17.1 t 3 The tubular-body 11 is=fitted over the int e end portion of the take-up tube C and is secured thereto, as by When thus secured in place, this tubular body fixes theend wall 12 inopposed axiallyspaced relation to the intake end. portion of the take-up tube C, as shown. r t

, Slidably fittedover the reduced diameter portion of the tubular body 11 is a cylindrical member 18. that end abuts the shoulder13 and is removably secured against displacement by a suitable split ring 19 that is snapped into thegroove 16. This member 18 has a multiplicity ;of foramina 20 widely distributedpver its entire sur- 15 t fi r r face, andthe greatmajority of, these foramina register :with the openings 14. t t q member 18 conjointly form The end wall 12 and the a protective enclosure for the intake opening of the pick-up tube, the, end wall 12 beingin the nature of aflcap 1 disposed, over the intake opening and, ,operatingto ikeep anything from being sucked up along a direct path into the intake opening, and the member 18 being in the nature of a screen through which fluid is sucked up along an indirect path into the intake opening.

When the end of the pick-up tube C is inserted into a fluid, suction applied thereto draws the fluid through the screen 18 and around the end of the pick-up tube into the intake opening, and when the end wall or cap 12 rests on the bottom of the container from which the fluid is drawn, the intake opening is very close to the bottom of the container, thereby insuring removal of virtually all the fluid from the container. Should the pick-up tube be embedded in dirt on the bottom of the container, the dirt cannot be forced up into the pick-up tube, because of the protective enclosure formed by the cap 12 and the screen 18.

The anti-clogging device 10 is devoid of threaded parts and may be disassembled for cleaning and reassembled, with facility. To disassemble, the split ring 19 is snapped off the cap 12, and then the screen 18 is slipped from the tubular body 11. After cleaning the screen 18, to reassemble, the foregoing procedure is simply reversed. Of

course, the screen 18 may also be cleaned in place.

The length of the screen 18 may be increased or decreased to correspondingly enlarge or restrict the effective screen area. In fact, the length of the screen 18 may be substantially the same as the length of the pick-up tube. Furthermore, if the screen 18 becomes dented, it can be straightened by turning it about the underlying elements 15.

It Will be understood, of course, that the present invention as hereinbefore .described and as shown in the accompanying drawings is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a device for sucking up a fluid, a pick-up tube, and anti-clogging means for the same comprising a main body member including a tubular section slidably fitted over and fixed to the terminal portion of said pick-up tube and extending in longitudinal continuation of the latter, the wall of said tubularsection being substantially it main body section, and means releasably securing said 3 "sleeve against axial movement relative to said tubular main body section, said sleeve being provided with a foraminated area of an axial extent approximately equal toand in registry with said openings formed in the tubular main body section, and being adapted for detachment from and reassembly with said bodymem- "her by being shifted axially and thereby passed over said end wall ofthe r'nainbody member.

"21A device for suckingup a fluid as defined in claim 1 whereinthe tubular "section of the main body member is round in transverse section, the circumferentially spaced openings formed in said round tubular section are arcuate 'in transverse section and thereby define between each successive pair thereof an element substantially rectangular and uniform in transverse section, the several elements aforesaid are disposed between thecross axially extending end wall of said tubular section and the opposite endportion of said tubular section, and one end of' the foraminated sleeve abuts a circumferentially extending external shoulder formed upon said opposite end portion of the tubular section and presenting toward said end Wall.-

" 3; A device for sucking up a'fluid as defined in claim 1 wherein the tubular section of-the main body member is round in transverse section, the circumferentially spaced openings formed in said round tubular section are arcuate References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 702,382 Tophanl" -'June-10, 1902 1,706,160 'Hinrnan Mar. 19, 1929 2,027,681 Durant 'etal. Jan. 14, 1936 2,100,482 Irwine Nov. 30, 1937 2,490,443 Knipper Dec. 6, 1949 2,725,144 Smith et a1. Nov. 29, 1955 

